CP English 10Name ______

In-Class Essay

Antigone

Introduction:/5

  • Contains an effective interest device
  • Connection to thesis is clear and effective
  • Summary of the text / author title
  • Thesis statement contains a theme and three topics

Body:/25

  • Topic sentence is effective
  • All ideas are introduced clearly
  • Contains three effective quotations, complete with page numbers
  • Explanations state how the quotation proves the theme
  • Concluding sentence is a synthesis

Conclusion:/5

  • Restatement of thesis
  • Synthesis of essay
  • Holistic statement

Mechanics:/10

  • Few or no spelling errors
  • No errors in grammar, usage, and punctuation
  • Properly indented / double spaced throughout

Complete Outline:/5

TOTAL:/50

Academic English 10

In-class writing over Copper Sun

For this essay, select one of the prompts discussed in the Socratic Seminar, and develop an essay outline. You will use this essay outline to construct in in-class writing over Copper Sun Tuesday during class. Please use the following format listed below.

Outline Structure:

Introduction:

  • Interest device (relating to theme)
  • Connection to Copper Sun
  • Summary of Copper sun (1-2 sentences)
  • Thesis (theme and topics)

Body Paragraph

  • Introductory sentence
  • State idea #1
  • Quotation #1 (embedded in the sentence!)
  • Explanation of how the quotation proves the theme
  • Transition
  • State idea #2
  • Quotation #2 (embedded in the sentence!)
  • Explanation of how the quotation proves the theme
  • Transition
  • State idea #3
  • Quotation #3 (embedded in the sentence!)
  • Explanation of how the quotation proves the theme
  • Concluding synthesis of paragraph

Conclusion

  • Re-state the thesis
  • Synthesis of essay
  • Holistic statement (why is your theme important in the world?)

Your Name

Ms. Musselman

Academic English 10, Period 4

10 November 2009

Defining Freedom in Sharon Draper’s Copper Sun

The Southern United States in the 1800 evidences a cruel time in the history of the country. Unless a person was white, male, and rich, he or she had very limited freedom. Sharon Draper reflects the idea of limited freedom in her novel Copper Sun. The majority of the novel takes place in North Carolina during slavery and focuses on a young girl Amari. Amari is kidnapped from her home in Africa, taken to the United States on a slave ship, and sold into slavery at an auction. Throughout the novel, Amari is constantly attempting to define and maintain her freedom. Through the character Amari, Draper asserts that in order for true freedom to exist, a person must have control over both her body and her mind.

When Mr. Derby buys Amari as a gift for his son Clay, Amari is forced to relinquish her physical self. Clay immediately claims his ownership of Amari by changing her name. He decides to name her “…Myna, because she is mine” (Draper 85). Despite the fact that Amari already has a name, Clay renames her in order to show his ownership. Even the name he selects, “Myna,” indicates possession. Amari is no longer an individual capable of making her own choices regarding her body, but becomes at this point in the novel an object Clay uses for his own satisfaction. In addition, Amari is severely beaten as a result of a physical mishap. When Amari trips during dinner service, spilling pie on the white dining room carpet, she is whipped so badly that “for three days she hovered between the darkness and the light” (Draper 149). This beating reminds Amari that killing a slave is not considered a criminal offense, and that her physical existence depends entirely on her “masters.” Amari is once again dehumanized and objectified, punished severely for human folly. This beating reminds her that she does not own her body and the reality of this realization remains. Teeny tells Amari that “The pain gonna go after a ‘while, but them scars gonna be there forever” (Draper 153). Draper uses the scars as a metaphor to indicate Amari’s lack of freedom. Even though she may physically heal, she still must live with the scar that her life depends on the whims of Mr. Derby. These constant reminders of her lack of freedom cause Amari to realize that without physical freedom, a person cannot belong to him or herself.

Although freedom can be defined in multiple ways, Amari recognizes that physical freedom is the only true freedom. It is not enough for a person to be in control of his or her beliefs or thoughts if acting on those thoughts and feelings is punishable. Amari’s constant physical fear and awareness of herself as a slave causes her to work towards achieving the physical freedom necessary to own oneself. People, even today, must have the ability to control their bodies in order to feel a sense of security and freedom.